Journey of a Lovetime
by Emily-RichardFan
Summary: Richard plans a special surprise for Emily, and he has lots of fun, happy memories, and romance up his sleeve. The story is divided into chapters.
1. Surprise, Surprise

**Journey of a Lovetime**

**Author's Note:** This is set during the first February after Season 7 and involves a special time for Emily and Richard. The first couple of chapters are a little short and introductory in nature, but they get longer after that. Big thanks to **Elizabeth** for her beta help!

**Chapter 1 – "Surprise, Surprise"**

"Richard, I can't believe you're going to be gone until Wednesday!" she griped, pacing once in front of him and then sitting down on the sofa. She was obviously upset, seemingly more so than most other times he had gone out of town.

"I have to deal with the Miller account in Chicago. You know that, Emily." He sat down next to her, hoping he could calm her down.

"Yes, I know, but why does it have to be this week?" she persisted, looking up at him.

He could see the frustration in her face and was sorry he had to disappoint her once again. "I couldn't schedule it at any other time," he replied, turning toward her and placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I don't understand why no one else could go," she grumbled, looking away from him.

"Emily, no one else knows enough about the account to be able to take care of this," he reasoned. "I have no choice."

She sighed, resigned to the facts. "Fine. I'll go pack your bags."

Richard watched helplessly as Emily rose from her seat and walked upstairs.

* * *

Lorelai walked out of the diner to answer her cell phone. "Hello?" she said, juggling the phone while putting on her coat.

"Lorelai, it's your father," she heard on the other end as she slipped her arm into the coat and pulled it around herself.

She cocked her head, surprised by the call out of the blue. "Hey, Dad. What's up?"

"I'm planning a little surprise for your mother and I need your help." Richard looked up from his desk, thinking for a moment that he had heard Emily coming to the door. Reassured that it was not his wife, he relaxed and turned back to the phone.

"What kind of surprise?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, I'm going out of town …" he said, removing his glasses.

"That's not a surprise, Dad," she interrupted.

He sighed. "Yes, I know, Lorelai. That's not the surprise." This wasn't the time to get into it. "Uh … can you meet me tomorrow afternoon?"

"Can't you just tell me what it's about?" she persisted, starting to grow impatient.

"I'd rather talk to you about it in person." He leaned slightly toward his desk. "Can you meet me?"

Lorelai sighed, frowning. Why did he have to make such a big production out of this? "Sure, Dad. When do you want to meet?" she asked.

"Let's say 2:00? I can meet you in Stars Hollow, if you like," he suggested.

"Okay, how about tomorrow at 2 at the Inn?" she offered, annoyed that this could not be discussed without taking so much time out of her busy day.

"All right." He straightened up. "I'll see you then."

"Bye, Dad." she said flatly.

"Goodbye, Lorelai." Richard replied, hanging up the phone.


	2. Friday Night Dinner Invitation

**Journey of a Lovetime**

**Note:** One more short chapter before we get into somewhat lengthier fare. Big thanks to **Elizabeth** for betaing!

**Chapter 2: "Friday Night Dinner Invitation"**

The doorbell rang. Supposing the maid to be on the other side of the house, Emily answered the door. "Hello, Lorelai," she said, stepping back to let her in.

Lorelai noticed that her mother's tone was friendly but quieter than usual. "Hi, Mom," she replied, stepping into the foyer. She looked curiously at her mother. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic was awful." Lorelai took off her coat, handing it to the maid as the latter woman finally appeared in the foyer.

"That's all right," Emily answered simply, turning to walk into the living room.

Lorelai paused for a moment, looking at her mother and wondering why she hadn't come up with a snide remark about her tardiness. She followed her into the living room. "Martini, Lorelai?" Emily asked, walking to the drink cart.

"Sure," she replied, sitting on the loveseat as Emily turned to the cart to fix the drinks.

"So, Mom, where's Dad?" Lorelai continued, turning to face her mother.

Emily frowned. "Oh, he's in Chicago."

"Oh, okay." The only sound Lorelai heard was the clinking of glasses. Emily was definitely quieter than usual tonight. "You okay, Mom? You look upset," Lorelai questioned nonchalantly.

"I'm fine. Twist?" she answered a little stiffly, avoiding eye contact with her daughter.

"Sure." She paused. "Mom, what's going on?" Lorelai wasn't going to let this go so easily.

Emily sighed and shrugged slightly, still looking down at the drinks. "Oh, I just wish he didn't have to go out of town this week. Tuesday is our anniversary, you know," she replied, finally looking at Lorelai.

"Oh, right." Lorelai paused. "Well, won't he be back before then?" she pursued.

Emily shook her head, sighing slightly again. "No. He said he had to take care of some account. But honestly! I don't know why there wasn't anyone else at that firm who could go instead." She frowned. "Last year we didn't really observe our anniversary. He was in the hospital recovering from his heart attack and celebrating was the last thing on our minds. After all we went through, you would think he would make an effort to be home this year."

"Maybe he had no choice," Lorelai reasoned.

She huffed. "Maybe."

"Well, Mom, I'm sorry." Emily turned and handed Lorelai her drink, then went with her own drink to the chair next to her. "If you want," Lorelai continued, "I could take you to dinner Tuesday night."

"No, that's all right, Lorelai. I'll be fine." She smiled weakly and sipped her drink.

"We should go," Lorelai persisted. "It'd be better than staying home alone that night, don't you think?"

"Lorelai, I'm not a charity case," Emily huffed, looking pointedly at Lorelai. "I don't need my daughter to entertain me on my anniversary."

"C'mon, Mom, it'll be fun," she encouraged, hoping her enthusiasm sounded genuine. "I'll even take you to one of those classy restaurants with the fancy, tiny appetizers."

"Well. All right, then." She smiled slightly at Lorelai. "That would be nice. Thank you." Emily sipped her drink again.

"Mrs. Gilmore," the maid interrupted. Emily looked up. "Dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Carmelita." Emily turned to Lorelai, motioning toward the dining room. "Shall we?"

"Okay," Lorelai replied, following her mother out of the room. "Oh, about dinner on Tuesday - it'll need to be a little earlier than your usual dinnertime. Would six o'clock be okay for you?"

"That's fine," Emily replied, sitting down to her salad.

"Okay, I'll make the reservations tomorrow," Lorelai suggested as she sat down to eat.


	3. Dinner for Who?

**Journey of a Lovetime**

**Note: **Thank you to Elizabeth for kindly betaing!

**Chapter 3: "Dinner for Who?"**

The maid answered the door. "Hi!" Lorelai greeted her cheerily.

"Hello," she replied, stepping aside. "Come in. Your mother is in the living room."

"Thank you." Lorelai walked into the house and found her mother sitting near the fire.

"Hello, Lorelai," she spoke, sipping her martini. "Would you like a drink before we go?"

"No, thanks, Mom," Lorelai answered. "I'll just get one at the restaurant."

"All right, then," she replied, putting her drink down on the coffee table. "Let me get my coat and we'll go."

"Okay," Lorelai replied, following her mother into the foyer.

Putting on her coat, Emily inquired, "so, where are we going?" She started to walk to the door, Lorelai still following her.

"Mill on the River," Lorelai informed her. Emily stopped in her tracks and turned to face Lorelai. "Is there something wrong, Mom?"

"No, nothing," Emily stammered, turning back toward the door.

"Okay," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

"It's just …," Emily paused, turning once again toward Lorelai. "It's where your father and I go on special occasions," she explained. "It's sort of our special place."

Lorelai furrowed her brow. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mom. I picked it cuz it's got nice views and the food is good. We can go someplace else, if you want," she suggested.

"No, that's all right. I was just surprised. Mill on the River will be fine," Emily countered, trying to sound agreeable.

"Okay," Lorelai replied as she ushered her mother out of the house.

-/-/-

"We have reservations. Gilmore," Lorelai told the maitre d', a middle-aged man dressed in an impeccable suit.

"Yes. Right this way," he motioned, guiding Lorelai and Emily into the dimly lit restaurant. As they snaked their way to the table, the familiar romantic ambience flooded Emily with a mix of emotions. She had wonderful memories of the many romantic evenings she and Richard had spent here. For years, this had been their place of choice for celebrating special occasions, reuniting after one of his long business trips, or just spending some very special time together. Whenever she thought of a romantic evening with Richard away from home, Mill on the River was what came to mind. However, the happy memories were accompanied by the sting of knowing she wouldn't be spending this anniversary with her husband.

When they got to their table, Emily once again halted. Lorelai turned and looked at her mother. "Mom? What's up?"

"This is our table," Emily replied, the surprise still evident in her face. "Your father's and mine. We always sit here when we come; it has the best view in the whole restaurant and it's near the fireplace."

"That's weird," Lorelai responded, a look of surprise on her face. "Maybe when I made the reservation for Gilmore they assumed it was for you and Dad."

"Yes, that must be it," she replied absently, her hand resting on the back of her chair.

"You wanna ask for another table?" Lorelai offered.

"No, that's all right. This will be fine," she said, sitting down in her usual seat. She missed Richard so much and wished she could be with him tonight. Being here at their special place only intensified the feeling. Why did he have to be gone tonight of all nights? After what had happened during their last anniversary and everything they had been through in the past year, she wanted so badly to spend this night with him. He'd said he had no choice but to go on this trip. He'd even told Emily that he wouldn't be able to call her until late that evening because of some business dinner. And during the entire conversation, he hadn't mentioned anything about their anniversary. Could he have forgotten it? No, certainly he hadn't. Maybe he was just busy and didn't realize the date had already rolled around again. No doubt he would mention it when he called later.

Well, she was glad Lorelai had offered to take her to dinner instead. She was looking forward to a pleasant dinner with her. Things did seem to be getting better between the two of them. A few years ago, Lorelai would never have offered to spend time with her at any time other than the obligatory Friday Night Dinners. In fact, she did everything in her power to get out of even the weekly commitments. But the situation between them had gotten better over time. It happened in fits and starts, but eventually they reached a point where not everything was a conflict. There was noticeable progress between those old days and now. And if Emily couldn't spend her anniversary with her husband, it was nice to be able to have an enjoyable evening with her daughter.

"Okay, if you're sure," Lorelai replied, bringing Emily back to the present situation. She sat down across from her. "Well, what do you want to order?" she asked, opening a menu.

Emily sighed, glancing at the options. "I don't know. Their redfish is superb. I think I'll have that."

"Okay. Hmmm …" Lorelai pondered. "I think I'll have the grilled swordfish with the vegetable medley."

"You're having what?!" Emily gasped, looking up, not sure she had heard her daughter correctly.

"The swordfish," Lorelai repeated matter-of-factly.

"Lorelai, you never eat grilled fish when there are other choices available, and you certainly never eat steamed vegetables without being coerced," Emily pointed out, narrowing her eyes toward her daughter.

"Aw, c'mon, Mom, I've been known to try new things sometimes," she asserted.

"All right," Emily replied, the lingering skepticism apparent in her voice.

After ordering, Lorelai grabbed her purse, rising from the table. "I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back."

"Okay," she responded as Lorelai walked off in the direction of the restrooms.

Emily waited for what seemed like an eternity. Where was Lorelai? Had she had second thoughts and skipped out on dinner? No, that's not the sort of thing she would do these days. She might try to get out of going someplace Emily invited her to, but she wouldn't ask her mother to go somewhere and then skip out on her. Certainly, she would be back soon. Emily sighed and tried to wait patiently.

Suddenly, she felt someone grab her shoulders and kiss her on the cheek from behind. She whipped around in her chair, startled. "Richard!" she gasped, her voice a mix of shock and pleasure.

"Hello, Dear," he responded calmly, smiling and sitting down next to her.

"What are you doing here?" she questioned.

"Shouldn't I be with my wife on our anniversary?" he reasoned.

"But you were supposed to be out of town until tomorrow," replied Emily, still in shock.

"I came back early. You didn't think I could be away from you today, did you?" He placed his napkin in his lap.

Emily smiled. "Well, I'm very glad to see you," she replied, reaching over to kiss him. "Oh, but Lorelai should be back any minute," she said, looking over her shoulder in the direction of the restroom. "I don't know what's keeping her. She went to the bathroom 15 minutes ago."

"Lorelai went home," Richard stated, watching for her reaction.

"What …?" Emily stared at him for a moment as it dawned on her. "You mean the two of you planned this?" she asked, her voice a mixture of surprise and joy.

"Yes, we did. I think Lorelai actually enjoyed helping me with the plan," Richard responded, smiling contently at his wife. He chuckled. "But I do have to say she was a little nervous when you reacted to her choice of restaurants. She was afraid you'd take her up on her offer to go somewhere else."

Emily laughed. "Well, I must say that you two are very crafty. You may have missed your calling as con artists." He laughed and she smiled happily in return. "Well, I thank both of you," she continued. "It's wonderful." The two held their gaze for a moment, elated to be together. "I'll have to call and thank Lorelai tomorrow," Emily said, breaking the silence.

Richard glanced around the table. "Where's our dinner?"

"Did Lorelai order the swordfish and steamed vegetables for you?" asked a pleasantly surprised Emily. With all of the options on the menu, he had chosen fish.

"Yes, she did," Richard answered, trying to sound matter-of-fact.

"And you're really going to eat that without a protest?" she questioned, one eyebrow raised.

"I figured the least I could do on our anniversary is eat something heart-healthy without complaining about it." Richard leaned in toward Emily and whispered intensely, "but that will be the only tame thing about this evening."

She felt her pulse quicken. "Oh, so you've got other plans for us tonight?" she asked, trying not to sound as excited as she was.

"My Dear, dinner is just the beginning of the surprise." His sly grin caused Emily's heart to skip a beat.

"Really!" she replied, matching his playful grin. Before she could respond further, their food arrived. She glanced down at hers in anticipation, and then watched his reaction to the healthful meal placed before him. Shaking her head slightly as he proceeded to eat it without complaint, she contemplated all that must have happened during the last few days. Her husband and her daughter had planned a very special anniversary for her right under her nose. It must have taken quite some scheming to put all of this in motion, and she still didn't know the extent of the surprise, but somehow neither Richard nor Lorelai had given even an hint of what they were up to. "I can't believe you two were in cahoots this whole time and I didn't suspect a thing," she stated.

"It wasn't easy," he replied, "but I'm glad we pulled it off."

"You know, I am, too," Emily admitted.

-/-/-

She gazed lazily into the fireplace, recalling the many wonderful memories they had shared together at this restaurant.

As if reading her mind, Richard interrupted her thoughts. "You remember the time we came here after my three-week trip to Istanbul?"

She looked at him and smiled. "Oh, yes, I remember."

"It was a wonderful night."

"Yes, it was," she responding, sighing gently.

He raised his eyebrow. "It started out rather nicely, too, as I recall. If memory serves, I returned home earlier than expected – early that afternoon, in fact – and yet somehow our dinner reservations had to be pushed later than usual." He smiled slyly at her.

"Richard!" she reproached under her breath.

"Can I help it if you find me irresistible?" he replied in defense.

She smirked. "You know, that ego of yours could stand to go on a diet." Richard grinned in return, and Emily couldn't help but smile at the trace of triumph she saw in his expression. "As I recall, you weren't exactly complaining about our having to delay dinner," she countered.

"No, very true, my Dear." He leaned over to kiss her. "I was very glad to see my wife, and I make no apologies for it."

Emily smiled slyly as she straightened the napkin on her lap. She glanced down with a dreamy expression. "I was just now thinking about our 35th wedding anniversary. It was one of the most romantic dinners we've ever had here." She looked up at Richard again.

"Oh, yes. It was nice to spend a quiet, romantic evening together after the big bash we had the night before. That was a very special evening," he agreed.

"Yes, it was lovely." She paused. "That is, until you got into an argument with Gilford Smitherson after dinner."

"I did not get into an argument with him," he contradicted. Emily raised her eyebrow. "It … it was just a minor disagreement," Richard stammered. "Besides, he started it!"

"You called him a wolf!"

"Well, I didn't like the way he was looking at you," Richard said defensively.

"He was not looking at me in any suggestive way," Emily said, smiling unconvincingly.

"He was undressing you with his eyes," he retorted.

"He was not!" She grinned, looking away slightly.

"He most certainly was! I'm sure you are the reason he came over to say hello in the first place," Richard countered.

Emily chuckled. "Well, if you are as irresistible as you say, then I don't know why you were so worried about it." She paused briefly. "But it was nice to see you jealous."

Richard huffed. "I wasn't jealous."

"Whatever you say," Emily replied, the skepticism evident in her voice. She glanced around the familiar surroundings, sighing once again. "Yes, we certainly have made a lot of memories here." They both smiled slightly, once again relishing their time together. Emily leaned slightly toward Richard, placing her hand on his. "So, what else have you got up your sleeve tonight?"

"All in good time, my Dear." He leaned over, closing the short distance between them, and kissed her.


	4. All That Jazz

**Journey of a Lovetime**

**Note:** Thanks to Elizabeth for her wonderful betaing and to Cira for her helpful ideas. I also want to take a moment to thank everyone who has reviewed my story so far. Your feedback really makes my day, and though I don't say it often enough, I appreciate everyone who takes time out of their day to read and review my stuff.

**Chapter 4: "All That Jazz"**

After dinner, Emily and Richard strolled along the promenade deck, her hand linked to the crook of his arm. The February air was chilly but the night was pleasant and clear and the moonlight shimmered gently upon the slight ripples on the river. "I love this place," she spoke, breaking their relaxed silence.

"I do, too," he replied, looking down at her. "I'm glad we discovered it."

"You mean you're glad _I _discovered it," she corrected him, smiling playfully at her husband.

"Absolutely correct, my Dear," he conceded, nodding in agreement. "It has certainly become a wonderful place for our romantic evenings the last several years." He took a slow, deep breath, enjoying the night air and the company of his wife.

"Yes, it has," Emily agreed. After sauntering contentedly with him for a few minutes longer, she squeezed his arm gently and looked up at him. "So, what else do you have planned for our anniversary?"

"Well, next I plan to take you to that little jazz club where we used to go dancing when we were in college." Richard looked down at her, anticipating her reaction.

"Jerry's?! Is that still open?" she asked, incredulous.

"Yes, it is, and they still play the old jazz we used to go there to hear," he replied, smiling.

She laughed lightly. "Well, how nice!"

"Shall we?" he asked, turning toward her.

"Oh, but Richard, I'm not dressed to go out dancing!" she protested.

"You look fine, Dear," he stated.

"No, this outfit is not appropriate for a jazz club," Emily replied, shaking her head. "I should go home and change," she announced, stalking toward the nearby parking lot. "Where are you parked?"

Taking her hand, Richard stopped her and looked her in the eyes. "You will not go home and change! You look beautiful," he urged. "Let's just go to the club and enjoy the rest of our evening together."

"Well," she answered hesitantly, "all right. But in the future, I would like to be better prepared for this kind of evening." She looked at him pointedly, continuing, "That's what I hate about surprises. I'm never prepared for them. Just like tonight, I wasn't ready to go out dancing with my husband."

"Yes, Dear. I will keep that in mind in the future," he promised. "So … shall we?" he asked, motioning toward the parking lot.

"All right," she replied, smiling up at him. Despite how she felt about surprises and feeling unprepared for tonight's activities, she was overjoyed to be with her husband. This was definitely turning out to be a nice anniversary, after all.

-/-/-

Richard helped Emily into the car. When he got in behind the wheel, she leaned over and grasped his face between her hands, kissing him greedily. She pulled him closer and pressed her body against his, wanting to be as close to him as possible. Richard wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her even closer. Breaking the kiss, Emily uttered in a deep voice, "I have been wanting to do that since I first saw you at the restaurant."

He inhaled sharply, smiling. "Mmm," he replied, his voice a low rumble. "Good thing I didn't know that then, or dinner would have been very short." She chuckled, and he grinned as he turned toward the front and started the car.

When they arrived at the club, Richard got out, took the ticket from the valet, and walked around the car to open the door for Emily. "My Dear," he said, holding his hand out to her. As she stepped out of the car, he put his arm around her, guiding her inside.

The club had changed somewhat since their college days, but the atmosphere was much the same. Lively music, dim light, and loud conversation greeted them as they walked to a table near where they used to sit years ago. The club was still frequented by college students, but there were older couples there as well. Perhaps they too came to relive treasured memories. Richard took Emily's coat as they sat next to each other at a table a short distance from the band. He leaned over to her, grinning. "Do you remember the first band we ever heard here?" he whispered.

"Yes, I remember them. Benny and the Starlighters," she replied with a reflective tone.

"Yes, they were the ones." He nodded, looking back toward the stage. "The band playing now reminds me of them. Similar music."

"Yes, it is," she answered. "Their female singer reminds me a lot of the Starlighters' lead singer, too."

"I hope they play a slow piece as nice as the one the Starlighters played that night. Do you remember that?" he asked, grinning slyly.

"You mean 'At Last'? How can I forget it? It's the first time you kissed me," she responded, matching his sly grin.

"Exactly why I hope this group plays a song similar to that," he stated, raising his eyebrow playfully. Emily smiled only slightly, but the sparkle in her eyes conveyed her delight clearly.

Their server came up to the table for their drink order. "I will have a scotch, neat," Richard ordered.

"I'll have a rum and coke," Emily said. The server nodded and left.

"A rum and coke?" Richard asked.

"Yes, I had a few of them at my bachelorette party at Lorelai's house three years ago. I liked them," Emily responded.

"Huh!" he replied. "I never knew you liked those."

"Well, I guess you don't know everything about me," she teased, raising one eyebrow.

He laughed. "I guess not. You are still a mystery to me in so many ways," he declared, grinning playfully at her. "Shall we dance, my Dear?" he asked, holding his hand out to her. Emily took it and they walked onto the dance floor.

As they moved along the floor enjoying the lively music, Richard glanced down at his wife. She had dressed for a relaxed night out with her daughter, not for a romantic date with her husband. And yet he couldn't help but notice how lovely she looked in her tasteful blue skirt and top with black hose and shoes. It certainly wasn't her idea of an appropriate outfit for a jazz club, but he liked her in it. Then again, no matter what she wore, she'd be beautiful. Besides, it brought back memories of the blue dress she had worn to his fraternity party back in college. That was the night he had really fallen in love with her. It had happened gradually, but after that there was no turning back. Though he didn't admit it to himself for months, he had become irrevocably hers that night.

The song ending, Richard guided Emily back to their table. He was slightly winded but very content. "Ah," he said, catching his breath, "we haven't done that in years."

"Well, we're a little older now than we were back then," she teased.

Richard chuckled. "True." He sighed, looking contentedly at his wife. "We certainly spent a lot of time here during college and the first couple of years of our marriage." He paused, tilting his head toward her. "Why did we stop coming?"

Emily sighed. "You got busy with work and we stopped going out as often. And then we had Lorelai." She looked down slightly as the mood became a little more serious.

"That is something I regret," Richard said wistfully. Emily furrowed her brow and looked over at him, startled. "That is, becoming so involved in work that I didn't spend enough time with you," he clarified.

Emily looked away slightly, took a breath, and then looked back at Richard, the sadness still visible in her eyes. Wanting to change the subject, she smiled slightly and asked, "Do you remember that time we came here with Sweetie and Davis on a double date?"

He laughed lightly. "Yes, I remember that.

"Davis got so drunk he became sick," Emily recalled.

Richard nodded. "Yes, he wasn't used to drinking sweet drinks."

"Melinda was so embarrassed by it she wouldn't date him again for two weeks." Emily smiled, shaking her head.

"She _was_ mad," Richard agreed.

"At least it got me off the hook with her for dating you," Emily stated.

"What do you mean?" Richard looked at her warily.

"Just that Melinda didn't trust you," she explained.

"That's not true!" Richard protested.

"Oh, yes, it is." Emily looked at him slyly. "She thought you were a ladies man and would break my heart."

"I don't remember that!" he retorted as Emily smiled knowingly. He continued, "Well, I guess we showed her." He leaned in closer, turning toward her. "And after forty-five years of being with only one woman, I wouldn't change a thing." She closed her eyes dreamily as he kissed her. Breaking the kiss, they held their gaze for a moment, lost in each other's eyes.

Moments later, Richard's head snapped up. "Do you hear that?"

She cocked her head to listen. "Oh, it's 'At Last'! They're playing that song!" She looked at him in surprise and then narrowed her eyes. "Did you arrange this?"

He smiled slyly at her but didn't answer. "Well, now you have to dance with me again." Richard held his hand out to her, and Emily took it, the joy evident in her face. Gracefully guiding her onto the floor, Richard slid his arm around her and pulled her close. She readily slid into his arms and glided with him, enjoying the dance and their closeness. They had been dancing silently for a few moments when he bent down to kiss her. "After forty-five years, it still feels as wonderful as the first time," he muttered.

She inhaled deeply and pulled him gently closer. "I wish we could come here more often," she stated.

"Who says we can't?" he responded and she smiled contently in return.

-/-/-

Exiting the club with Emily on his arm, Richard stated, "Well, my Dear, I hope you've been having a nice night."

She squeezed his arm slightly. "It's been wonderful, Richard. I love it." Sighing in disappointment, she added, "but it's getting late. I think we should be getting home now."

"We're not going home tonight," he replied, watching for her reaction.

"What do you mean we're not going home? Are you saying we're going to stay out all night?" Emily raised her eyebrow slyly, grinning playfully at him.

"No, we are not staying out all night," Richard answered, returning her smile. "We're staying someplace special tonight."

"What?!" she gasped, turning to face him. "Where?"

"I told you the celebration was just starting. You didn't think this was all I had planned for you, did you?" he replied mischievously.

"But Richard, I can't stay away from home tonight. I have to get up early tomorrow. I have a very busy day ahead of me," Emily argued, starting to walk off toward the valet station.

"No, you don't," he stated matter-of-factly, hiding his grin.

"What do you mean 'no, I don't'?!" she protested, stopping and turning once again to face him, "Yes, I do. I have to … "

He interrupted, placing his hands on her shoulders, "I cancelled all of your appointments and meetings scheduled for tomorrow."

"I beg your pardon," she responded, raising her eyebrows.

"I found your organizer and called all of the people you were scheduled to meet tomorrow," he stated. "They were all very happy to postpone your meetings so you could have a special anniversary with your husband."

"You what?!" she gasped.

"I called them all. I'm glad you are so organized, Emily. All of the numbers I needed were right there in your planner," he uttered with a boyish grin.

"You called everyone?" she asked, her frustration starting to turn to pleasure at the thought that he had gone to so much trouble to plan this special day for her.

"Yes, I did." Richard smiled smugly.

"Well, there are a lot of things I have to do other than meetings, you know. That library renovation fundraiser isn't going to plan itself!" she asserted, crossing her arms.

"I have every confidence that you will get it done, my Dear … starting Thursday." He looked at her pointedly, but smiling. "But tonight and tomorrow, there's only one thing you'll be doing – and that's allowing your husband to lavish attention on you." He squeezed her gently, turning to walk with her once again.

"Well … if you insist," Emily replied, snaking her arm around him.

Richard chuckled as he led her to the curb to get into their car.

As they drove in the direction of their destination, Emily probed, "So, where are we staying for the night?"

"You'll find out very shortly," he replied.

She sighed, resigned to the fact that she still didn't know what lay ahead, but content nonetheless.


	5. Suite Memories

**Journey of a Lovetime**

**Chapter 5: "Suite Memories"**

As they pulled up to the hotel, the suspicions Emily had started having a few blocks before were confirmed. "The Goodwin?" she asked, turning to Richard. "We're staying at the Goodwin?"

"Yes, we are," he replied. "And I managed to get us the same suite we stayed in the night of our wedding."

"The Morgan suite?" she asked, her expression a mixture of surprise and pleasure.

"Yes," Richard replied as he pulled up to the valet station.

"Really!" she exclaimed, marveling at how much thought her husband had put into this anniversary.

The look of joy on her face caused Richard's heart to skip a beat as he stopped the car. "Yes, and I have added a few touches that should bring back some pleasant memories."

"How did you manage that?" she questioned, smiling.

"I have my ways," he answered in a smug but affectionate tone. "Shall we go in?"

Yes!" she responded cheerily. Richard got out of the car, taking the ticket from the valet, and walked around to meet Emily as she stepped out onto the sidewalk. Walking toward the entrance, she squeezed his arm, turning to look at him. "Richard, I can't believe you did this. Thank you."

He shrugged in a self-satisfied manner as she smiled broadly, turning toward the hotel entrance.

-/-/-

Walking into their suite, Emily was flooded with memories of their wedding night. Though the rooms did not look quite the same as they had forty years before, she felt a strong sense of nostalgia. The living room was just as elegant as she remembered and she found herself taking notice of the fine details of the decor.

Such a beautifully appointed suite. The golden paint treatment and coordinated pictures on the wall gave the entire space a light and airy feel, while the clean lines of the decor, the neutral earth tones of the furnishings, and the dark wood trim offered the rooms a simple elegance that Emily could admire.

Sitting down on the brown plush sofa, she sighed and leaned back, thinking about the wonderful night she had had. Richard had gone to so much trouble to plan this special anniversary. Somehow he had designed an elaborate plan and kept it a secret from her the entire time. Certainly, Lorelai must have helped quite a bit with the scheme. It seemed ironic that despite the many differences between her daughter and herself and the divergent career paths they had chosen, they shared a strong affinity for event-planning. Though the sorts of events Lorelai planned tended to be very different from Emily's, it still fascinated her that the two of them shared this particular talent.

Emily sighed again and smiled slightly, marveling at all that had happened in the last year. Things had certainly changed. Richard had changed. He was much more attentive than he had been in many years – since the early years of their marriage, in fact. And he was much more inclined to express his feelings to his family. Though Emily had always known how much Richard loved her, until recently he had not often been one to talk much about his emotions or even how he felt about her. He preferred to show his love through his actions.

After facing death, however, his outlook on life and family had changed. He now expressed more openly how much he loved his wife, daughter, and granddaughter, and he was more inclined to admit when he had been wrong. What surprised Emily even more was how much more focused Richard was on spending time with her than he had been in many years. He traveled on business less often and he wasn't nearly the workaholic he had been throughout most of their marriage. Several months ago, Richard had told Emily that he'd decided it was time to stop spending so much of his energy on his job and to focus more on enjoying life with his wife. He had no plans to leave his company and retirement was certainly not on the horizon, but he was determined to find a better balance between his work and his family.

Yes, things were very different. A year ago, it would have been unheard of for Richard to plan such an elaborate surprise for his wife. Sure, he liked to surprise Emily with the occasional night out or with thoughtful gifts. But he had never gone to this much trouble to plan something so complicated. She appreciated him for it, and despite how she felt about surprises, she would not try to get him to tell her his plans. She would let him have his surprise.

"Would you like some champagne?" Richard asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes, please," she answered, turning toward him with a contented smile. As he poured her drink, she glanced at the label on the bottle. "Richard," she inquired, "isn't that the same champagne we drank on our honeymoon?"

"Yes it is," he responded. "It's a different year, of course, but I wanted us to have the same champagne we had in 1965." He handed her a glass and sat down with his own drink.

"Oh, how wonderful!" she exclaimed, again impressed with her husband's thoughtfulness. "Richard …" Emily prodded, leaning closer to him and grabbing the crook of his arm, "We went to our favorite restaurant – the place where we have shared many memories. Then you took me to the jazz club from our college days. And now we're staying at the suite from our wedding night. What is this, a trip down memory lane?"

"Well, in a way it is. I wanted this anniversary to be all about remembering the things that have meant a lot to us during our relationship. Sort of a journey through our forty-five year love affair." He looked at her, handing her one of the chocolate-covered strawberries that had been placed on the coffee table, and then continuing, "Tonight, I took you to places that meant a lot to us during college, on our wedding night, and in the recent years of our marriage." Nodding, he added, "Tomorrow we will do some things that I think will remind you of other times in our relationship."

"Well, I am impressed with how much you have planned this out."

Seeing her look of obvious pleasure, he smiled, shrugging his shoulders. Taking a more serious tone, he added, "Emily, after what we went through last year, I wanted to make sure this anniversary was particularly special for you." He looked at her, making sure he had eye contact with her. "I know that in the past there have been many times that I've been too busy to celebrate our special occasions. I regret that I got so involved with my work that I didn't spend enough time with you." Richard paused before continuing, "I know that I haven't always treated you like you are the most important part of my life. But you are. And from now on, I will be better about showing it."

Emily felt a little overwhelmed by Richard's words. Though she was gratified by the changes she had seen in him in recent months, she still found it challenging to get used to the more emotional Richard that he had become since nearly dying a year before. Deciding to lighten the mood, she quipped, raising one eyebrow, "So, does this mean you're retiring?"

He chuckled lightly, matching her playful expression. "No, this does not mean I'm retiring." Emily frowned in mock disappointment. "But I'm going to do my best not to let my work get in the way of my time with you." They held their gaze for a moment before Richard continued, holding up his glass, "And this year we will celebrate our anniversary properly."

Emily was touched and still a little overwhelmed, and she found it hard to keep the emotion out of her voice. Leaning over to kiss him, she muttered, "Thank you, Richard. This means a lot to me." Glancing in the direction of the bedroom, she spotted their luggage. "Our bags! I wonder what you packed for us," she exclaimed, her voice a mix of concern and curiosity.

Placing her glass on the table and getting up from the sofa, she started toward the suitcases, but Richard stood up and stopped her, putting his own glass down. "Dear, I was very careful to pack everything I thought you could need or want while we're away."

Pointing toward her luggage, she replied, "But, Richard, I should just look through it to make sure …"

"If I missed anything," he interrupted, "we can buy it tomorrow."

"But …"

"Emily, you will have clothes to wear tomorrow. Don't worry about that." Putting his arm around her and turning her back toward him, he added, "Tonight, I don't want you to worry about anything. Let's just enjoy the rest of the evening together."

The suggestive way he looked at her banished thoughts of luggage from Emily's mind. "All right," she conceded. Snaking her arms gently around his neck, she said, "Thank you, Richard. This has been an amazing night. Absolutely perfect." Pausing, she reconsidered. "No, not quite perfect. But one thing _would_ make tonight perfect." She reached up to kiss him, wrapping her arms around him further. Feeling his response to her kiss, she started to walk him toward the bedroom. But when they crossed the threshold, a slight shimmer caught Emily's eye and she looked past her husband toward the bed. "Richard!" she gasped, walking to the nightstand. Reaching the table, she smiled gratefully. "Lilies and orchids with a silver bow wrapped around them. My wedding bouquet!" Looking up at him, she sighed, "You chose the same flower arrangement I had in my bouquet." Richard shrugged, and Emily added, "I can't believe you did all of this. You've thought of everything."

At the sight of Richard's smile, Emily couldn't resist any longer. She reached up to kiss him again, winding her arms around his neck. As the emotions of the evening caught up with them, their kiss quickly grew passionate. Emily ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Kissing his way down her jaw line, Richard reached down and deftly unbuttoned his wife's top, pushing it off her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. He reached around her to unfasten her skirt, and it dropped around her ankles. Emily stepped out of the skirt as she reached up to tug open his bowtie and threw it to the floor. She then unbuttoned his top shirt button and grasped his collar with both hands, ripping the shirt open. The buttons pinged to the floor in several directions. Richard's passion was fueled by her bold action and he lifted her up, wrapping her legs around him and walking her to the bed. As he sat her down, she pulled him with her, moving up to lie against the pillows.

They were still kissing greedily when suddenly he broke their kiss, pulling away. "Oh, wait! Stop!" She looked up at him, baffled. Seeing the confusion and concern in her face, he caught his breath and hastily added, "Oh, I have every intention of picking up where we left off."

"Good," she replied, leaning back on the bed and smiling slightly, though still confused. "Why did you stop?"

"I realized that I hadn't given you your gift yet!" he replied with a boyish grin.

"Oh, but Richard, I don't have my gift for you!" she protested. "It's at home."

"That's okay." Sliding off the bed, he added, "You can give it to me when we get back tomorrow night."

"But … " she tried to protest as she watched him walking around the bed, his rumpled shirttail sticking out.

"It will be a nice way to finish our anniversary celebration." He smiled at her gently, reaching behind the bed to grab a large package. "But you do want to see what I got you, don't you?" he teased, holding it up to her.

"Yes," she admitted, matching his smile.

"The package is larger than the usual jewelry box," he observed.

"I see that," she replied, her curiosity growing. Handing her the package, he sat down next to her. The box was wrapped elegantly in silver paper with a white, silver-trimmed bow. Emily fingered the outside gently before unwrapping the present carefully, revealing a large, white gift box. Her heart beat slightly faster as she opened the box while Richard looked on in anticipation. When she pulled the lid off, Richard could see the shock in her face. Overwhelmed, she was speechless for a moment before she could utter any words. "A Birkin bag!" she exclaimed, pulling the bag out of its silk covering. "You got me a Birkin bag?" She looked up at him, her eyes wide.

Richard shrugged. "I knew you liked them and thought it was about time to get you one," he stated, smiling at her obvious delight.

Emily looked back at the bag, pulling it out of the box. After fingering the soft leather for a moment and bending down to take in its fragrance, she gasped, "Richard, a Birkin bag!"

"I assume you like it," he deadpanned.

"Of course! Richard, I love it!" she gushed. "I can't believe I have a Birkin bag!" Emily stared at the black leather bag that she had wanted for many years, unable to believe her eyes. Then, looking over at him, she cooed, "Thank you, Richard." She leaned over to kiss him before turning back to caress the bag, fingering the beautiful even stitching on the sumptuous black leather and running her hand over the palladium buckle and lock.

"There's something else in the bag," Richard informed her.

She glanced up at him briefly, confused again. Opening the bag with the enclosed key, she pulled out a jewelry box. "What is this?" she asked.

"Open it," he replied. She pulled the lid up gently and gasped, looking at him again. "I know how much your mother's earring means to you," Richard continued, "and how disappointed you were that we could never find its mate after she died. I hope you don't mind that I had it made into a necklace."

Emily was silent for a moment, overwhelmed by his loving gift and struggling to keep her emotions under control. She kissed him gently, then muttered, "Oh, Richard! It's wonderful." He leaned over and put his arm around her waist, thrilled that she was happy with the gift. "Would you put it on me?" she asked, turning away so he could place it around her neck. He took the necklace and draped it around her, leaning down to kiss her neck tenderly. She turned back around to face him. "I don't know how to thank you. This means so much to me."

"I'm just glad you like it," he replied, touched by her reaction. Reaching up to caress her hair and looking into her eyes, he uttered, "It looks beautiful on you."

She leaned up to kiss him tenderly then reached her arm around his neck as their kiss deepened. "I love you so much," she breathed, kissing him again as her body responded to his increasing passion. Emily pushed him gently onto his back, lying on top of him. Richard couldn't help but smile against her lips as he heard the Birkin bag fall to the floor, forgotten for now.

**Note:** Thank you to _Elizabeth_ for her wonderful betaing and to _Cira_ for her helpful ideas. I also want to thank everyone who has reviewed the story so far: _B. Alex Milligan, Valerie, Mary, Ann Y. Mous, Miss GoodManners, gilmore fan, Sheila Bryant, OldFashionedGrl,_ and_ Emily&Richard4ever_. I really appreciate the time you have taken to read and review my story. Y'all are the best!


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